IAPCO Launches Sustainability Handbook to Help PCOs Put Commitments into Practice

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) has launched a new Sustainability Handbook designed to help professional congress organisers (PCOs) move beyond sustainability commitments and integrate practical measures into their businesses, supply chains and events.

Developed by the IAPCO Sustainability Committee, with support from Business Events Australia (BEA) and the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD), the Handbook brings together guidance, frameworks and examples to help organisers address sustainability across two connected areas: their own organisational practices and the meetings and events they deliver for clients.

The resource is intended to accommodate organisations at different stages of their sustainability journeys, recognising that progress depends on identifying achievable actions, measuring results and continually refining existing practices. Rather than treating sustainability as a separate initiative, it encourages PCOs to incorporate environmental and social considerations into decision-making, supplier relationships, partnerships and event planning from the outset.

For Ajay Bhojwani, Chair of the IAPCO Sustainability Committee, the priority was to produce a resource that would help members determine what to do next, rather than reiterate the case for sustainability: “IAPCO members already understand the importance of the issue; the challenge is often knowing where to begin, what questions to ask and how to translate good intentions into practical actions.

“We deliberately approached the development of the Handbook with a blank slate mindset, drawing upon the knowledge and experience of colleagues from across our global community. The result is a resource that can support members wherever they are on their sustainability journey and which we hope will continue to evolve as our collective knowledge and experience grows,” said Bhojwani.

The Handbook sits within a broader sustainability strategy that IAPCO is developing for both the Association and its international membership. This includes the continued measurement and monitoring of IAPCO’s own carbon footprint, alignment of future activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and support for the JMIC Net Zero Carbon Events initiative.

The strategy recognises that industry-wide progress requires action at both organisational and operational levels: helping members advance and share their sustainability initiatives while ensuring that IAPCO applies the same principles to its own activities.

Robin Mack (right), Managing Director of Tourism Australia, highlighted the growing demand for business events that deliver positive outcomes beyond the event itself.

"Tourism Australia recognises the growing demand globally for meetings and congresses that have a positive, sustainable impact. We are proud to support the development of IAPCO’s Sustainability Handbook, which provides practical, real-world tools needed for the delivery of sustainable events.
“This approach aligns perfectly with Tourism Australia’s strategic approach to supporting responsible business events delivery that creates a lasting legacy for people and communities across Australia and beyond.”

Tourism Australia’s support for the initiative also extends to the IAPCO Sustainability Award, which recognises outstanding sustainability approaches within the Association’s membership. The Award and the Handbook are intended to complement one another: one celebrating examples of good practice, the other helping organisers develop and implement their own approaches. Together, they provide a platform for sharing knowledge and encouraging practical action across the PCO community.

IAPCO President Sissi Lignou sees the opportunity to influence sustainability outcomes as an integral part of the PCO’s role in shaping events, from initial planning through to delivery: “As PCOs, we have the opportunity to influence decisions at every stage of the process and to help our clients create events that deliver not only exceptional experiences, but positive environmental, social and economic outcomes.

“This Handbook is about empowering our members to make that influence count. It reflects IAPCO’s commitment to providing our community with practical tools, education and knowledge that help them lead change. Our ambition is not perfection overnight, but sustained and measurable progress achieved collectively across our global community,” said Lignou.

The involvement of GORD brings a specific focus on environmental impacts and carbon management. Dr Yousef Alhorr (on the right), Founding Chairman of the organisation, said the Handbook was designed to help organisers make more informed decisions throughout an event’s lifecycle. “Events play an important role in connecting people, exchanging knowledge, and driving progress. Yet, every event also carries an environmental footprint that we have a responsibility to address.

“Drawing on GORD’s expertise in sustainability and carbon management, this Handbook provides a practical foundation for measuring environmental impacts, reducing emissions, and making more informed decisions throughout the event lifecycle. Through our collaboration with IAPCO, we hope to help advance an events industry where sustainability is embedded in how we plan, operate, and create lasting value.”

The launch adds a practical resource to IAPCO’s wider work to strengthen professionalism across the global meetings and events industry. By bringing operational guidance together with education, knowledge-sharing and recognition of member initiatives, the Association aims to help PCOs make sustainability an ongoing part of how they work, rather than an ambition addressed separately from the events they deliver.
 

Powered by Meeting Media Company, publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.